Johny London

Getting back to the original question.... let's hope so! I for one would be more than happy to trade my dirty noisy stinky old oil burner for a clean, silent electric drive. I can't believe all the nay sayers - Peterboat has the right idea - what's not to like??? Charge as much as possible from solar, the rest off electric points. Hopefully they'll bring these in on VM's initially, gradually increasing to other popular mooring spots. I'm sick of the smell of diesel coming in the boat everytime someone goes past! Or having a perfectly good cruise ruined by the rattle and stink. Diesel was never meant for the canals - lets go back to the true tranquillity of yesteryear. Bring it on! All that said, I can't see any harm in the odd vintage exception though.

If the genny is just to recharge batteries (as opposed to running large loads) then a small ish one will be best, because it will spend a lot of it's time putting in just a few amps (research "tail current" the last bit of charging that takes ages). That is with the proviso that you have enough output (amps, or watts) to do the initial charge (when batteries are low on charge and rather hungry!) - this will depend on what you are running the genny through, a sophisticated thing like a Victron 3000 will allow you to set the maximum charge that will be taken from the genny, thus avoiding having it trip out). You could be looking at a smaller (1kw) Honda, for example. If you want to power large loads as well (washing machine etc) then you may need over 2kw. Try to get one with a "smart throttle" so it chills out a bit when not doing much. I think the Kipor are next best after Honda, and cheaper. If you are a serious user, consider a built in diesel unit - bargains regularly come up on ebay but quite a faff to get installed, lots of bits and pieces needed. To sum up, you really need to think carefully about what your usage pattern will be. If you have been enjoying the solar power, you'll be in for a reality check come end of autumn

600w, gets me back up to 98% most days and occasionally 100% (especially when I'm not there). Keeps the fridge going if I go away for a couple days in summer so saves having to run that down and clear it out. I wonder how much more I'd need to live the same in the winter... it's not about maximum power, its about minimum!

I never saw the K&A before this/last year, but I really don't think it is that bad. From BoA all the way to lock 1 it is very interesting and picturesque, I didn't find the locks too bad at all on this stretch, though I'd appreciate the banks being a little better dredged and cleared in certain places. Only Harris lock concerned me - despite the lengthy winter closure it feels as though it's going to be a problem again soon and I look forward to getting on the eastern side of it before that happens! I've not noticed any human waste dumped in bushes - only the ubiquitous piles of dog sh*t left by a few careless owners, same everywhere. There are a hell of a lot of hire boats on the bath end, they outnumber the rough looking boats by a good margin. I wish the hire companies were just a little more careful of letting large groups on. Other than that, my only gripe is the blatant disregard for the rules (people encamped on the river section moorings and overstaying on 48hrs generally). But as I said, it's my first time on so I have not seen it in "better times."

The meter I have will do both in and out

Oh, well mainly to see when the batteries are charged (taking under 5 amps) but also handy to find out what each item I have uses, so I can plan my energy usage (for example, deciding which small items I can afford to leave in standbye).

I know the inverter is a dc load, but it has it's own monitoring via a mains v/a meter. I only have a smart gauge so don't need to count amp hours in and out. Most times the inverter is off these days as I go increasingly 12v with stuff. So I suppose I'm leaning to the side of just putting it onto the dc - I'm not sure exactly how I will use the information - obviously for knowing when batteries are recharged (though I suppose I wouldn't be so sure if charging from shoreline but that is quite a rarity anyway). The fatest lead I see on ebay is 345amp (50mm2) - is that enough for everything? I have a 500a shunt anyway. I have 90mm2 leads to the inverter, on about a 1.5 meter run. I guess I'm concerned about creating a weak spot in the wiring if I put the whole lot through the shunt and lead.

I'll need a short fly lead to connect my shunt resistor (on the -ve of the domestic battery bank) and it sets me wondering whether I should connect just the DC loads through the shunt, or the inverter feed as well. I already know whats going on with the ac thanks to a meter I have on that side of things. Can't quite envisage how I'll get best use out of the dc ammeter - wondering how others have wired up in these circumstances? Also - anywhere online to order a thick patch lead for this (I've forgotten the ratings since I last mucked around with this sort of thing... 90mm2?) ta

This is the thing, no one wants tons of heavily enforced rules, and what we have currently is about as simple and easy as can be. I see the day where 48hrs moorings will be cctv'd

Try looking for a thing called a "caramast" ebay and Amazon do them <£30. A three section telescopic pole system, comes with two plastic mounting brackets that you can use to bolt onto the boat (in my case I needed to make a hole through the roof overhang because the mountings don't stick out very far, but actually that is a good thing in terms of appearance and not getting in the way). I've got my tv, dab and 4g aerials all on there. You can just drop the poles down into themselves when cruising, leaving the aerials above the roof line - but if that's still too tall, just slide out the top pole and lay it on the roof (you need to ensure you have enough cable).

No not at all. Perhaps your allowed to overstay if you are painting your boat too?

Oh, looks like it is widespread then - I don't remember noticing so much when I started a few years ago. I wouldn't like it to lead to overly strict enforcement, which is all that can ultimately happen I guess. Maybe there's like, a lot of ill people around? Uh hu.

Last place I moored, just past a 48hr bit - a boat on the 48hr when I arrived, still there a few days later when I left. My current spot, exactly the same thing. I hate to be a stickler for the rules, but if we don't "voluntarily" keep to the rules, then we will end up with strict enforcements (as seen around Reading etc) which I most certainly don't want. It is something I've only noticed down this end of the K&A (west) I guess there are just weekly checkers and no more? Even then the latter boat has been there over a week so should have been spotted. A pity to moan

I think this is SO good every boater should have it! I enjoyed using my retro style phone yesterday, making calls from out on the deck as I have a longish wire - it's the wired connection that makes it fun but also I found the call quality a lot better (no efr on the old style phone) and ones head isn't next to the transmitter which can't be a bad thing! I've got unlimited minutes on my mobile too (only £9) so I just don't have to worry. Awesome. I see the Huawei router uses just under 0.5a per hour, not too bad. I turn it off at night.

I have just connected a push button landline type phone to the phone input of my Huawei B525s. It's actually branded with a T logo on the front. Anyway, all I WAS getting was the engaged tone...... EDIT: - Then I put the sim in IT DOES WORK!!!

No - oil based paint is rubbish - it stinks, takes an age to dry and eventually peels and flakes. When was the last time you saw a car with peeling paint?

Went really well with the Xylene - should have just used that in the first place, and it's kinda keyed the paint (would eventually remove it!). Fertan applied as necessary. All done now - just floated out of the engine bay for a bit of air! I'm a bit concerned about using the red oxide I got in Wilko - opened it and it seems to be oil based so might get some proper stuff in the car shop. Don't want it peeling off in a few years.

No but I'm in the market for a soap on a rope!

If I use Xylene thinners, it may quite quickly take the paint right off - as does petrol (don't ask!). At least going by the paint I have done on the rest of the boat. The engine bay was all ready painted so I don't know the type, I would assume some sort of cellulose/ Xylene car type paint as it was sprayed on by the looks of it - pity they put it straight over the storage paint and it's all come off, on the counters at least. The permanently submerged parts fared a lot better than the "just condensation damp" parts! Looks like I wasted my time and money with the old Gunk - I think it was an attack of nostalgia after seeing a tin on someone else's boat a while back, and it stuck in my mind. I also bought some "Brut" spray the same day!

Ok thanks - I've a choice of meths or the paint thinners I use with my exterior boat paint (Xylene). I thought as much so it's a good job I didn't go ahead and just paint. I'll get the fertan on the bare bits in the meantime, will need a couple goes anyway.

Yes, incase it's trickling or dripping down, plus any other directions it could be coming from. Even if it's not rained, could be condensation from cooking. Eliminate everything before getting the boat out!

My two pen'erth - is there a window above? You could maybe get the side panelling off (tricky I know) if there is a window there. Try taking more floor up to see if the water has trickled there from somewhere else. Eliminate all possibilities before getting the boat out. I don't much like the idea of "trapped water" between the plating. My cruiser stern bilge is now 100% bone dry - after two days unclagging and degunking - and with a bucket under the prop shaft with the pump in it - it should stay that way!

Bought a tin of gunk, been cleaning the bilge and engine. Sanded paint on counters etc, swept up(needs a bit of rust treatment still) and used the gunk to wipe everything down. Just wondering if it has left a film of oil or whether it produces a nicely degreased surface to paint on. Will be using an oil based grey undercoat and where bare metal a red oxide (not opened yet so unsure what base!). Any thoughts as to whether the paints will adhere well to "de gunked" surfaces?

Ah ha. So "overnite" is really a lot more than just that - it's your whole late afternoon and evening of whatever entertainment you are using. If Mr Smellys batteries are down to 12.2 he's used about 160ah (if his bank is healthy and the usual 4x 100ah which I believe is the case) which is considerable. Personally I never put my tv/hard drive on till 9pm or later - so only three hours use, and with some lighting and my 12v fridge on through the nite that's about all I use, prolly 40a ("overnite"). Options: Cut down your power usage when off grid. Get some solar. It's still likely the current batteries are fritzed but as you say, see how they are after another recharge from shore power. Replacing without improving your regime will result in the same.

I was going to say that a fridge, an inverter and a cooler on all night would easily be enough to drain batteries, but it's already been said and also you have tried turning things off overnight. But my other point is, when you say "overnight" is that including an evening dose of tv/microwave/pc etc etc - or from bedtime? You don't mention if you have any solar? If you are presumably going to replace the batteries (as general consensus seems to conclude they are goosed) then having a way to recharge them easily would be important. You literally can't have too much solar - it's not about how much it produces at peak, but what you can get even on poorer days. I reckon even I could avoid wrecking a set of l/a's in the summer now that I have 600w of solar. Some of the apparent discharge might be due to reading the "surface charge" of the batteries to start with.